Artisan Guild

They are the painters, potters, carpenters and smiths. They craft leather, make the clothes people wear, design new styles, and paint ceramics. Last but not least, they create the artistic drawings, paintings, and sculptures. Basically, if it's made, chances are an Artisan did it.

Management

The crafts are separated into main crafts and sub-crafts. A main craft is sculpture, a subcraft under sculpture is pottery, or statues. Students have the choice of mastering one craft or mastering several subcrafts. The subcrafts do not have to be in the same craft. During the seasons various sub crafts are offered to the general public for a fee. The fee includes the cost of the class and materials necessary. The materials for the class can be found at the guild shop or at shops in Cascadia.

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Artisan Faction

The Artisan Faction teaches the art of various crafts, including everything from art (painting, sketching) to architecture. The Guild makes things that are decorative, useful, and sometimes both. Members start out as apprentices, graduate up to wanderer, then finish as masters. The highest rank possible is guildmaster. There is only one guildmaster. Members are often hired for a particular job, some are hired on a contract basis. Jobs are charged by how skilled the artisan is and the price of supplies. A wanderer artisan will be paid less for a job than a master.

• Sculpture — pottery, statues, busts, anything that can be made from clay; working in stone, marble and plaster
• Art — painting, sketching, chalk, calligraphy, tattoos stained glass, blown glass, making your own paints and sketchbooks
• Design — clothing design, architecture, signs, jewelry, instruments (often works with the bards guild?)
• Weaver — sewing, tapestries, carpets, tailors, dyes (anything to do with sewing and cloth making and using dyes)
• Jeweler — rings, necklaces, bracelets, tiaras/circulets, insignia, rare gems, gem cutters, etc.
• Gardening — basic gardening, landscaping, floral arrangements (holds workshops during the spring, summer and fall months)
• Chef — everything from basic cooking to the extravagant creations of master chefs: bakery, pastry, and other masters (often has workshops in the fall and winter months)
• Woodwork — basic carpentry, woodcarving, decorative crafts, carving
• Miscellaneous — doll makers, basket weavers, decorations, leatherwork, making dyes and paints

Smithy Faction

The Smithy faction teaches trade work related to building: everything from roads and bridges to grand estates; weaponry: both civilian and martial, and other things like: luxuries, fine metal and dinnerware. Members start out as apprentices, graduate up to wanderer, then finish as masters. The highest rank possible is guildmaster. There is only one guildmaster. Under the construction crafts members often form teams of workers with one master in charge, called the project leader. The leader hires either masters or wanders (usually a mixture of both) on either a by the job basis or contract basis depending on the project. Weaponry, fine metal, dinnerware and luxuries are either individuals or teams working together. It varies from smithy to smithy.

• Martial — weapons, armor, bond/horse armor (associated with the knights guild)
• Civilian — miners, horseshoeing, saddlery, tools, glassmakers, toy maker
• Luxuries — fancy metalwork, stained glass, blown glass, vases, instruments, mirrors
• Construction — carpentry, woodworking, masonry, stonecutters
• Fine metal — work in gold, silver, copper, etc.
• Dinnerware — goblets, glasses, plates, silverware, utensils, tea sets, serving dishes (everything from fancy to plain).

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Ranks

Students begin as apprentices; they are either taught by one master or take classes with other apprentices. Classes have no more than ten students at a time. As apprentices, students learn the basics for either artisan or smithy. Apprentices usually start at the age of ten for the short lived races and the equivalent age for the long-lived races. Apprenticeship lasts approximately five to seven years, but can last longer; it depends on the student and when the master decides they are ready to be promoted to wanderer. They learn about the different crafts and by their last year as apprentices have to choose between specializing in a particular craft or learning five subcrafts.

As wanderers they have learn their chosen craft or subcrafts. There are two levels in the wanderer rank: junior and senior. Junior wanderers learn their craft and help out with apprentices. Senior wanders are required to spend a year at the guild improving their skill, helping teach apprentices, and planning for important events. When their year of required service is up, they can either stay at the guild (where they will be required to help with various things) or they can wander the countryside applying their trade and learning more. Those wanderers who choose to travel often travel in groups of two or more or with a master, though there is the odd one out that travels alone. Wanderers spend three years at the junior level before being promoted to the senior level. Senior level wanderers cannot take a master test until two years are up at this level. After that they can take it when tests are offered. Some take this time to wander about the island before returning to the guild to take their mastery.

Master artisans have several options. They can teach at the guild, teach privately, open shops, or whatever. Those who choose to teach join other masters in biannual planning meetings. At these meetings they plan classes and discuss guild related stuff.

Ranks at the guild are Apprentice, Wanderer, Master and Guildmaster. There is only one guildmaster.

The Artisan Guild is currently split into two factions under the same name; the Smithy and Artisan factions. The two factions actually run autonomously but are managed by the Artisan Guildmaster and a group of masters called the Macchiato. The Macchiato consists of four masters from both guilds. They apply for the job and are then voted in by their peers. They meet on a quarterly basis to discuss guild agenda. Each meeting is presided over by the Guildmaster, who votes when there is a tie and keeps the peace (or tries to) between members. At these meetings, the Macchiato will bring up issues regarding the guild, make decisions regarding the issues, and schedule dates for wanderers to test for their mastery.

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